Unable to Annotate on top of Form Fields

[DSSavant]

Build 199.

This issue deals with users that have become very accustomed to how Acrobat (the evil product) works as compared to the Tracker Viewer.

In Acrobat when you select a tool such as the Note tool, you are able to place it on top of a Form Field. Pencil tool as well. Annotations take precedence over field editing. The tool's mouse cursor remains "active" even while over edit controls.

In the Tracker Viewer when you select a tool and move the mouse over a Form Field, the form field takes over and replaces the tool's mouse cursor with and edit "I-Beam" cursor thereby preventing the ability to annotate on top of form fields.

To see what I mean, load a form in Acrobat with an edit field.
Select the Note Tool and then move the mouse over the form field.
You will notice that you can "drop" the note in the middle of the edit control.
Do the same with the Pencil tool. Notice that you can draw "in" the edit control. Very cool.

Now try to do the same with the Tracker Viewer. Can't do it.

The reason this is important is two fold:
1. I'm moving my customers off of Acrobat and onto your viewer. They have gotten use to a certain behavior.
2. My users annotate a lot of form fields during their day as part of their daily activities.

Scream if you need more information.

[Jamie - Tracker Supp]

Hi DSSavant,

We have already addressed this challenge. Simply go to Edit->Preferences->Commenting->Making Comment Options and Place a check beside "Enable exclusive mode for commenting tools". Once this is in effect you can still select the form field by holding the shift key down before clicking it with the mouse when you are using the commenting tools.

Regards,
Jamie

[DSSavant]

Good to hear. Do you know what command do I need to execute in code to accomplish the same results? I embed your viewer in my product thus I have on such UI to assist me in setting exclusive mode.

Can I assume that this value is stored in the settings file (SaveSettings/LoadSettings). If so, I can take it from here.

[DSSavant]

Got it, thanks.

[Jamie - Tracker Supp]

[Ivan - Tracker Software]

You can set property "Commenting.ExclusiveTools" to TRUE:

Code: Select all

SetProperty("Commenting.ExclusiveTools", DataIn(1), 0);

[DSSavant]

I think I will do it via code rather than using a Settings File approach. Thanks Jamie.

[Paul - PDF-XChange]

[davidbeh]

Hello,
Now, over a decade later, I have the same problem (with the normal, non-embedded Editor) with not being able to edit annotations covered by form fields. I can not find the "Enable exclusive mode for commenting tools" option. Did it move or is there another solution to this?
Regards, David

[Stefan - PDF-XChange]

Hello davidbeh,

It does seem like there is no exclusive mode for the Select Annotations tool, but you should be able to select only annotations in the comments pane.
I will check now with our devs why there is no exclusive mode for "Select comments". In the mean time please try to drag from outside of where the form field is, and that should allow you to make a drag selection around your annotations only without you selecting the form field int he process.

p.s. Our devs have confirmed that we need to make changes to the SelectComments tool.
The fixes are coming in the next version and when you have the select comments tool active you will not be able to interact with form fields or select them.

Kind regards,
Stefan